November twenty-eigth.

Thankyou,

Just in time for Christmas.

It's been four months since I posted on this blog.

I feel like I was inconsistent for quite some time with blogging because this summer was so hectic. I was working two jobs all summer, and three jobs at one point in time. Once school started back up again things got difficult in my personal life which put blogging, not even on the back burner, but completely off the stove top. 

Now that life has settled down I want to get back to making time for the things I love. Not only have I not blogged, but I also haven't been making time for reading, exercising, or taking photos. I've bought new books (which I will share soon), I've gotten back to the gym a few times over the past couple weeks, and now I am here - writing this blog post. 

Going forward I'm hoping to do Blogmas again (no promises though). 

I don't want to make a schedule or anything, instead I'm going to write and upload when I feel like it. Hopefully this means at least once a week, but if I'm not feeling it it probably won't happen. 

I've started listening to my body and mind. I don't do things I don't want anymore (except things like school and work). Right now, this feels right. My diet has changed a lot as I'm not practicing crazy portion control or depriving myself of certain foods. If I want to eat junk food I will- in moderation. I do things that make me feel good- wether that's going to the gym, hanging out with friends, or laying in bed. 

Things have changed for me and I'm excited to share it all going forward. 

Until next time, 

I'm sorry. I'm here.

I'm so sorry. I've been completely awol. My life has been crazy lately to say the least. I've been so busy it seems like I've not had a chance to sit at my laptop and write a post (I say this with little conviction as I'm sure I have had the time, however have used it for other things). The only reason I'm taking the time to write this now is because I'm bogged down with an awful stomach flu. 

No matter the circumstance that brought me to this, I am here and I am writing. Since it's been a month and three days since my last post (two months since my last personal post) I thought it would only be appropriate to catch you up on what has been happening in my life. 

Josh and I went to Toronto to see a Blue Jays game (which turned into seeing two Blue Jays Games!). We had a great time staying in downtown TO. Not only did we see the Jays but we also went to the Ripley's Aquarium and Vaughn Mills for some shopping.

I did a charity run! My friend Michelle and I entered Run The Great Lakes which raises money for a local hospice facility. We finished five kilometres in thirty-two minutes (which if you're a serious runner sucks, but if you're me and just getting back into it, is amazing!)

This little guy turned THREE. What the actual heck? I can't believe Tate is already three years old. It seems like just yesterday I was holding a six pound newborn in my arms.

This. Freakin. Highlighter. My goodness, check out E.L.F. highlighters and you will not be disappointed. 

I'm working for CLA again job coaching intellectually disabled students. The girl I'm paired with is an absolute riot. I adore her and am having an amazing summer.

I've been to the beach exactly one time... so there's proof I've truly been busy!

Canada celebrated it's 150th birthday! Unfortunately July first didn't go off as planned, however I was able to make up for it a few days later by lighting sparklers with a girlfriend of mine.

Josh's family dog sat his friends dog, Leslie. Her and Oakley become best friends quickly and now that she's gone home he seems to almost be going through a break up! She's still a puppy so her energy is high. It was an absolute blast having her around.

Sixty pounds dropped, I've finally hit my goal size. I started my weight loss journey at size twelve and I'm now a size two. I know it's not about the numbers but it was a goal of mine and I'm so proud I accomplished it.

I got my hair done again and it's freakin' amazing. I'm beyond obsessed with it. Pinterest worthy or what? Check out Liv's Instagram to see more of her amazing work!

Josh and I went to a Stag & Doe just this past weekend (where we won absolutely nothing). We had a blast with a few friends, and he even danced with me! 

These past couple months have been phenomenal and I've been selfish with keeping it all to myself. I promise to post more often! 

(wo) Man's Best Friend.

My love for dogs is no secret. All breeds. All sizes. All colours. All ages. I truly believe that dogs are such a blessing to this world. They are full of unconditional love, compassion, companionship, and happiness. Just take five minutes to surf YouTube, Facebook, or Instagram for cute puppy videos and your heart will swell with warmth. 

Dogs are little miracle workers, just look at the infographic above to see how much they really can benefit our lives! Personally I've received the most from dogs in the categories of mind and body. Having anxiety and depression can be extremely difficult. There are days when I don't want to get out of bed in the morning. Just knowing that my fur baby relies on me for everything is enough to make me want to get up. Without me he wouldn't eat, drink, or get outside. Having that sort of purpose gets me through some of my darkest days. No matter what my dog is always there for a cuddle. Body-wise, my weight loss journey is no secret on this blog. My dog is my running, biking, and walking buddy. He keeps me motivated to continue to be active and healthy. I can thank him for the sixty pound weight loss! 

I met my boyfriend back in October and I have to admit one of the best things about him is having another dog in my life. Oakley and I have bonded so much over the last eight months. We love to cuddle, run, and share meals together. 

Oakley's favourite human food is cheese- he comes running to the kitchen as soon as he hears the crisper open! He loves to cuddle up by my head in the morning after Josh goes to work and his favourite game to play with me is tug of war with his stuffed lamb. 

Best for last (sorry Oakley) my family dog, Duke. He is a pure bread Great Dane and a huge suck haha. Believe it or not Duke runs with me less than Oakley does because he's SO lazy! He likes to run around the back yard for about ten minutes and then sleep for a couple hours. 

His favourite people food is bacon, his favourite toy is his rope bone, and he loves to get his ears scratched. We call him Moose because he's quite big or Dork because he can be so clumsy and idiotic. But we love him just the same! 

I'm so happy to say that this post is inspired by PuppySpot. Check out their website to see what they're all about! Make sure to check out their Puppies for sale page to see all the adorable fur babies who need loving homes!

Send me pictures of your furry friends in the comments. If you get the chance, pet a puppy today!

Run Baby Run.

I set a goal when I was eighteen to run a marathon by twenty-two. Unfortunately I ran into health problems that left me unable to exercise at all for over two years. Now that I'm able to exercise again with no worries, I have reset my marathon goal. At this moment I am already twenty-two. It's my goal to run a marathon by twenty-five.

I've started running with my friend Michelle at different locations around our city. So far we're still working on a five kilometre route. It's SO far away from the twenty-six miles that make up a full marathon. 

I got myself some new Nike running shoes- the 2017 edition of the Nike Flex shoe. I absolutely love them and would recommend them to anyone. They're very comfortable and contour to my foot while still providing great support. I also invested in some new running pants, a light weight jacket from The North Face, and some sports bras from Sportcheck. 

Before running I like to fuel up with food and water. I'll drink a bottle of water and eat a meal with complex, slow releasing carbs about an hour to two hours before my run. Usually I have oatmeal. After a run I load up on vegetables, protein and, of course, water. 

The five kilometre route we're trying to master at the moment is a little walk-on-to island in our downtown area. Running around the entire island is just over five kilometres. Our first time around the island took us forty minutes as we had to stop and walk a couple times (and of course take nature pictures). 

We decided that our first race will be a charity run in our city that raises money for our local palliative care centre. We're entering in the five kilometre race! 

I'm loving getting back into running. I love the way it feels when I finish a run and my breath comes back to me and my legs are a little shaky. Endorphins are the best drug.

I'm excited to get back into running and share this journey with you all. Thanks in advance for your support. Any tips for getting back into running would be great!

April Showers.

As I do every exam season, I took I hiatus from blogging (and most social media). I think whilst in the time during exams and final assignments it's important to focus as much of my time and energy as possible to my education. Despite having my nose stuck in a text book for the majority of the month, I got to make some pretty great memories. I've rounded up my favourite phone pics from the month of April and I'm so excited to share them with you.

April was a great month! My break from blogging and social media paid off with a 3.95 GPA (almost that 4.0)! I can't wait to see what May, and the rest of the summer, holds for me. 

I wish you all an exceptional May.